describe your work ethic: Interview Question: “Describe Your Work Ethic” (And Answers)

Introduction

When I was in high school, I remember my guidance counselor asking me for examples of my work ethic. I didn’t really have an answer at the time—I just figured it would come naturally to me. But then she asked me a follow-up question: “Do you think it’s important to have a strong work ethic?” And that’s when it hit me. Of course! It’s important to show up prepared, to stay focused even when your mind tends to wander elsewhere, and it’s imperative to know how much work you can handle before you’re overwhelmed…and so on and so forth. In short: having an excellent work ethic makes you more productive, efficient, successful—and typically happier too!

What does the term “work ethic” mean to you?

The term “work ethic” is a set of values and beliefs that guide an individual’s actions. It can be used to measure your work ethic, which is important because it shows how you perform on the job.

For example, if you have a strong work ethic, then you’re likely going to be a hard worker who gets things done in a timely manner. On the other hand, if someone has low moral standards when it comes to their job performance (e.g., they show up late or leave early), then their lack of discipline might indicate that their character isn’t as strong as it should be for certain types of jobs (like those involving safety).

What values do you bring to your professional life?

Your values are a set of beliefs that guide your behavior. They’re important because they help define who you are, and they can be personal or professional (or both).

A few examples of values that might be relevant to your job include:

• Working hard
• Being honest with your colleagues and clients
• Listening when others speak

Give an example of a time when you demonstrated strong work ethic in a professional setting.

• Give an example of a time when you demonstrated strong work ethic in a professional setting.
• What did you do?

I went above and beyond what was required of me by volunteering to work on weekends and nights, even though it wasn’t part of my job description.

• How did this help your company? It allowed me to learn more about the business side of things, which helped me become better at my job because I understood how things worked from top-down instead of just bottom-up (i.e., from an employee’s perspective).
• How did this help yourself professionally? I gained valuable experience working on projects outside my area of expertise that made me more marketable when seeking future employment opportunities within other companies or industries–and even if they didn’t know anything about my background yet!

How have previous jobs helped you develop a strong work ethic?

When asked to describe your work ethic, you should be prepared to talk about the time that you were most motivated to work hard. This can be from any job or volunteer position that you’ve held.

In general, if we are motivated by a sense of passion for our work, it will show in how well we perform. When describing times when this was true for me and why I felt so strongly about my projects/jobs/volunteer positions:

• I was able to rise above challenges in order to accomplish tasks at hand (e.g., managing multiple deadlines while working with an understaffed team).

Do you have a “type” of job that is better suited for your work ethic style?

You may be wondering: “What is my ‘type’ of job?” Well, that depends on your work ethic style. If you are an independent worker, then a job that allows you to work alone and manage your own schedule would be ideal.

If you’re a hard worker who has a strong sense of duty to others, then perhaps being part of a team would be best for your style.

What are some examples of how you’ve been able to motivate others in the past?

• Provide examples of how you’ve been able to motivate others in the past.
• Give examples of how you have motivated yourself.
• Be specific about the situation and the outcome. Don’t talk about a situation where someone else’s actions motivated you, but instead tell us about an event where your own actions motivated others or helped them reach their goals (or even just made them feel better).

Tell me about one thing that drives you crazy when people don’t do it at work. How do you handle that situation?

Tell me about one thing that drives you crazy when people don’t do it at work. How do you handle that situation?

This is a great question to ask because it gives you an opportunity to show how you deal with challenges, as well as what your values are. It also shows the interviewer (and future co-workers) that even though there may be things they don’t necessarily like doing, they can count on your professionalism and ability to work through any issue in a positive manner.

Here’s my answer: “I get frustrated when someone makes mistakes on something simple because they weren’t paying attention or didn’t read through the instructions carefully enough.”

What would I do differently? “I would take time before jumping into conclusions about what happened; sometimes it might just be a misunderstanding rather than laziness.”

Describing your strong work ethic is important during an interview.

A strong work ethic is an important quality to have, and it’s something that employers look for in candidates. When you’re asked to describe your work ethic in an interview, there are several things you can say:

• I’m a hard worker and always do my best to complete tasks on time.
• I’m motivated by challenges and enjoy learning new things at work.
• My friends would say that I’m very dedicated when it comes to my job because I take pride in being productive every day!

Conclusion

The work ethic question is one of the most common interview questions, and it can be tricky to answer. But if you’re prepared with an example or two of your strong work ethic, then you’re off to a great start!